The present invention relates to an ice preparation machine for ice tracks, with a conveyor for transporting snow removed from an ice surface into a snow tank.
Ice preparation machines of the above mentioned general type are used for smoothing of surface of ice tracks. The smoothing is performed by removing of ice chips by means of a cutter. The ice chips are identified in general as snow which is transporting by means of a conveyor into a snow tank of the ice preparation machine. The snow is first transported from the ice surface to the region of the center of the cutter by two oppositely rotating screws. The snow accumulated there is brought by a conveyor which is also formed as a screw, into the snow tank. This screw is arranged so that it is located vertical or approximately vertical, so that the conveyor can be identified as an inclined conveyor. During utilization of the ice preparation machine of this type it has been determined that it leads frequently to clogging of the screw which transports the snow into the snow tank. The cause of this is, on the one hand, the steep arrangement of the screw, and, on the other hand, the operation of the screw. A further critical point is the transfer of the snow by the screw from the central region of the cutter. When clogging takes place, its elimination leads to stoppage time.